View source for Armenian name

{{short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
An '''Armenian name''' comprises a [[given name]] and a [[surname]]. In [[Armenia]], [[Patronymic|patronymics]], which go between the first and last name, are also used in official documents.

==First names==
According to the [[Statistical Committee of Armenia]], the most commonly used names for newborn boys in [[Armenia]], {{as of |2012 | alt = as of early 2012}}, were [[Davit (given name)|Davit]], [[Narek (given name)|Narek]], [[Gor (disambiguation)#Given name|Gor]], [[Hayk]], Alex, [[Eric|Erik]], [[Arman (given name)|Arman]], [[Samuel (name)|Samvel]], [[Tigran]], and [[Aram (given name)|Aram]]. For girls, the most popular names were [[Nareh (given name)|Nare]], [[Milena (name)|Milena]], [[Maneh (given name)|Mane]], [[Ani (given name)|Ani]], [[Anna (given name)|Anna]], [[Anahit]], [[Mariam]], [[Ellen|Elen]], and [[Mary (name)|Mary]].<ref>
{{cite news|title= Which are most common Armenian names?|url= http://news.am/eng/news/118484.html|access-date= 14 February 2014|newspaper= news.am|date= 27 August 2012}}</ref>

Traditionally, Armenians have used [[Biblical name]]s of Greek, Latin and Hebrew origin, such as [[Abraham (given name)|Abraham]], Hakob ([[Jacob (name)|Jacob]]), Hovhannes ([[John (given name)|John]]), Petros ([[Peter (given name)|Peter]]), Poghos ([[Paul (name)|Paul]]), Madlene ([[Magdalene (given name)|Magdalene]]), Yeghisabet ([[Elizabeth (given name)|Elizabeth]]), [[Tamar (name)|Tamar]], etc.

==Surnames==
{{See also|Surnames by country#Armenia}}
Typical modern Armenian last names ([[family names]]) end with the originally [[patronymic]] suffix [[wikt:-յան|-յան]] ([[Reformed Armenian orthography|reformed orthography]]) or [[wikt:-եան|-եան]] ([[Classical Armenian orthography|classical orthography]]), transliterated as '''-yan''', '''-ian''',  or less often '-jan'. Example: Petros''yan'', meaning "issued from Petros", akin to the English name Peterson as "son of Peter". Some Armenian last names bear the suffix -նց ([nʦʰ]), which is a plural genitive suffix, transliterated as -nc, -nts or -ntz (as in [[Axel Bakunts|Bakunts]] or [[Nicholas Adontz|Adontz]]), or in addition to -yan/-ian (as in [[Sergei Parajanov|Parajaniants]]). This is not common, although it used to be more widespread in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.<ref name="Seferian">{{cite news|last=Seferian|first=Nareg|title=Seferian: What's in an Armenian Name?|url=http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/01/27/seferian-what%E2%80%99s-in-an-armenian-name/|access-date=14 February 2014|newspaper=[[Armenian Weekly]]|date=27 January 2011}}</ref>

Some Armenian surnames have a suffix -լի ([li]) preceding the -յան/-եան suffix, which comes from the Turkish suffix [[wikt:-li|-li]]. For example, Sivaslian and Vanlian refer to the cities of [[Sivas]] and [[Van, Turkey|Van]], respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.armeniangenealogy.org/forum/index.php|title=Armenian Genealogy Forum • Index page}}</ref> Other Armenian surnames have a suffix -ճի ([ʤi] or [ʧi]), transliterated as -ji/dji or -chi/tchi, preceding the -յան/-եան suffix, also from Turkish. Names such as Kebabjian and Kahvejian refer to kebab and coffee merchants, respectively. While the -եան suffix already existed in the [[Classical Armenian]] period (e.g. [[Artaxiad Dynasty|Արտաշեսեան Artashesian]], [[Mamikonian|Մամիկոնեան Mamikonian]]), other suffixes, now rarer, also existed. The suffix [[wikt:-ունի|-ունի]] (as in [[Bagratuni Dynasty|Բագրատունի Bagratuni]], [[Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia|Արշակունի Arshakuni]], [uni]) had a similar meaning to -եան.

The suffix [[wikt:-ցի|-ցի]] ([tsʰi]) denoted a geographical provenance, e.g. [[Movses Khorenatsi]] (from Khoren) and [[Anania Shirakatsi]] (from [[Shirak, Armenia|Shirak]]).

The prefix [[wikt:տեր|Տեր]] ([ter]), which comes from how one addresses a priest, is typically Armenian. It might be followed by a space or attached directly to the root with a hyphen. If someone possesses a surname containing "Der" or "Ter" it usually signifies that this person has a [[Patrilineality|patrilineal ancestor]] who was a priest.

=== Roots of names ===
The roots of names ending with -ian/-yan are typically first names, such as Petrosian "issued from Petros", Simonian "issued from Simon", etc. When the name ends in -lian or -(d)jian, the root is expected to refer to a location or a profession, respectively. Thus, the etymology of Vanlian is literally "issued from the man from Van" and that of Kebabjian is "issued from the kebab merchant". However, an ancestor's occupation will not necessarily contain the suffix -(d)ji, thus Vardapetian/Vartabedian (Վարդապետյան/-եան) translates as "issued from the [[vardapet]]", Bjishkian (Բժիշկյան/-եան) as "issued from the doctor" and Keshishian (Քեշիշյան/-եան) as "issued from the priest".

The -ian/-yan suffix may also, but more rarely, attach to an adjective denoting a quality. Thus, Bzdigian/Pztikian (Պզտիկյան/-եան) translates as "issued from the small (man)", Medzian/Metsian (Մեծյան/-եան) as "issued from the tall (man)", Ganantchian/Kanantchian (Կանանչյան/-եան) as "issued from the green, i.e. young (man)".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/hye|title = Armenian}}</ref>

Some former [[Armenian nobility|noble Armenian names]], such as [[Artsruni|Artsruni/Ardzruni]] (Արծրունի) are still in use today. When they moved from Armenia or from the Middle East, some changed their last names to adapt better to their new societies. Sometimes the -ian or -yan ending was dropped and the root kept, such as [[Charles Aznavour]] (was Aznavourian), or [[Andy Serkis]] (originally Sarkissian). Other times the name was translated, as "Tashjian" (which is derived from Turkish word 'taş' meaning 'stone') becoming (approximately) "Stone".

===Common Armenian surnames===
{{See also|List of most common surnames in Europe#Armenia}}
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Abrahamyan]]
*[[Adamyan]]
*[[Aleksanyan]]
*[[Arakelyan]]
*[[Arshakyan]]
*[[Arzumanyan]]
*[[Aslanyan]]
*[[Avagyan]]
*[[Avetisyan]]
*[[Babayan]]
*[[Boyadjian]]
*[[Badalyan]]
*[[Baghdasaryan]]
*[[Barseghyan]]
*[[Dolmayan]]
*[[Dovlatyan]]
*[[Danielyan]]
*[[Darbinyan]]
*[[Davtyan]]
*[[Dedeyan]]
*[[Demirdjian]]
*[[Gabrielyan]]
*[[Galstyan]]
*[[Gasparyan]]
*[[Gevorgyan]]
*[[Gharibyan]]
*[[Ghazaryan]]
*[[Ghukasyan]]
*[[Grigoryan]]
*[[Gyurijan]]
*[[Hakobyan]]
*[[Hambardzumyan]]
*[[Harutyunyan]]
*[[Hayrapetyan]]
*[[Hovhannisyan]]
*[[Hovsepyan]]
*[[Karapetyan]]
*[[Khachatryan]]
*[[Kirakosyan]]
*[[Kocharyan]]
*[[Manukyan]]
*[[Margaryan]]
*[[Martirosyan]]
*[[Melkonyan]]
*[[Malakian]]
*[[Mikayelyan]] 
*[[Minasyan]]
*[[Mirzoyan]]
*[[Mkhitaryan]]
*[[Mkrtchyan]]
*[[Mnatsakanyan]]
*[[Muradyan]]
*[[Nazaryan]]
*[[Nersisyan]]     
*[[Ohanyan]]
*[[Odadjian]]
*[[Petrosyan]]
*[[Poghosyan]]
*[[Poladian]]
*[[Safaryan]]
*[[Sahakyan]]
*[[Samvelyan]]
*[[Sargsyan]]
*[[Setrakian]]
*[[Shahinyan]]
*[[Simonyan]] 
*[[Soghomonyan]]
*[[Stepanyan]]
*[[Qristesyan]]
*[[Tonoyan]]
*[[Tankian]]
*[[Torosyan]]
*[[Tovmasyan]]
*[[Vardanyan]]
*[[Voskanyan]]
*[[Yeghiazaryan]]
*[[Yesayan]]
*[[Zakaryan]]
{{div col end}}

== Patronymic ==
In the Republic of Armenia, a person's official name includes a patronymic, which is the person's father's given name in the genitive case. For example, the full name of someone named "Armen Petrosyan" whose father is named Karen would be "Armen Kareni Petrosyan". These are not commonly used outside of official documents.

==See also==
* [[Armenian language]]
* [[Culture of Armenia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://genametor.com/en/list/armenian/boys/ 549 Armenian Names For Boys]
* [https://genametor.com/en/list/armenian/girls/ 215 Armenian Names For Girls]

{{Names_in_world cultures}}

[[Category:Armenian-language surnames| ]]